Golden Slumber
by iilaiia
Summary: The second arrow is the one you see coming, and though you fear it's bite, it brings with it an end to the suffering that the first arrow brought.


Summary: The second arrow is the one you see coming, and though you fear it's bite, it brings with it an end to the suffering that the first arrow brought.  
  
Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me, they belong to the most wonderful JRR Tolkein and the Lord of the Rings universe. If I owned them Child Protective Services would only take them away. Also, the lullaby, "Golden Slumber" also isn't mine. I found it on a website of lullabies. Whoever does own it? Thank you.  
  
Author's Note: My first posted fic, and I'm too much of a wuss to post it myself! Thank you thank you thank you to the sister of my soul and a damn fine author, Iilaiia. This one's dedicated to you. Oh and WARNINGS: Major angst, some death, more angst, more death, and top it off with some angst. If you don't like these things, please run away screaming now. Rated W for What the heck is wrong with me? (I'm really a very happy person in real life) (Runs back to her cave in the Village of Lurktown)  
  
(--Blushing, thanks. And it's always a pleasure to post your stuff. No worries. I'll be sending any reviews her way so please feel free to review. That's why we post after all. -Iilaiia)  
  
GOLDEN SLUMBER by Cowgoddess (posted on her behalf by Iilaiia)  
  
It is always the first arrow that comes as such a shock. Hurling out of thin air, and having so much more power due to it's unexpectedness. The pain and fear follow next.  
  
Elrond remembered when his sons were born, how small and light they were. He remembered holding them, and wondering how he would ever be able to put them down, leaving such fragile innocence at the mercy of the world. He remembered a feeling of numbness, fear, joy and excitement all at once.  
  
He felt numb now too, as he once again held his son, who was no longer a child, but still looked so innocent.  
  
Elrond had faced so much pain and loss in his long life. His father had been killed, his mother driven across the sea. Then the greatest pain he could ever have endured, the finality of the loss of he who had been closest to him; Elros his twin brother, who choose to be counted amongst men; who choose to go to a place Elrond could never follow. Later he had endured the loss of his beautiful Celebrian, brutalized by orcs, and driven across the sea as well. He knew he would soon face the mortal death of his daughter, watching her grow old and wither as he had been forced to do with Elros.  
  
Yet somehow all of that was not as shocking as the arrow that had been driven through his heart that rainy night.  
  
The dark clouds were uncharacteristic for the weather, unforeseen and peculiar. Elrond had been staring out into the night, watching the drops fall when the sudden urge had come upon him. Without saying a word to anyone, he had silently found his way outside, taken his usual horse, and ridden out into the rain. He didn't know where he was even riding at first, he simply went forward, getting more and more soaked as he went.  
  
Soon he realized he was following a song. It was hard to hear at first, just a ghost of a sound, floating in between the raindrops. It steadily grew stronger, and shaped itself into recognizable notes and words, until Elrond realized that he knew this tune.  
  
Golden slumber kiss your eyes,  
  
It was an old lullaby, one of Celebrain's favorites.  
  
Smiles await you when you rise.  
  
One which brought to mind safety and contentness; his family whole and together.  
  
Sleep,  
pretty baby,  
Do not cry,  
  
But this was not Celebrain's voice. It was however, a familiar one; one very much like hers, only deeper, more masculine.  
  
And I'll sing you a lullaby.  
  
When Elrond entered the clearing, he saw his son sitting on the ground, head bowed, dark hair wet and plastered across his back.  
  
Care you know not,  
Therefore sleep,  
  
Elrond found himself standing on his own two feet, not remembering how he had gotten down from the back of his horse.  
  
While I o'er you watch do keep.  
  
He quietly approached his youngest son, fear and dread holding his voice from speaking his name. He stepped closer, finally able to see Elrohir's face. His eyes were blank and dull, staring into the night as his lips moved softly with the words of the lullaby.  
  
Sleep,  
pretty darling,  
Do not cry,  
  
Elrond felt his own eyes freeze at his son's face, unable to drift lower to see what was in his arms. A voice screamed in his mind in contrast to the gentle steady song Elrohir sang.  
  
And I will sing a lullaby.  
  
But it didn't matter, for Elrond already knew what he would find before his eyes had moved down to the tops of the black orc arrows. He knew before he followed the length of their foul shafts that he would find them imbedded in the heart of his eldest son, Elrohir's brother, born mere minutes before he had been.  
  
Care you know not,  
Therefore sleep,  
  
Elladan lay, eyes closed in blissful oblivion, his head resting against his brother's shoulder as a child would rest against it's parent.  
  
While I o'er you watch do keep.  
  
Elrond prayed to all the power of Iluvatar to switch them, to put himself and Elros in the place of his sons. But the minutes just wore on, as Elrohir's voice repeated the once soothing lullaby into the night.  
  
The second arrow is the one you see coming, the one you can watch approach, and though you fear it's bite, it is anticipated, welcomed, bringing with it an end to the suffering that the first arrow brought.  
  
As Elrond looked down at Elrohir in his own arms now, he knew that second arrow had hit. Even before opening the door to his grieving son's room, he once again knew what he would find. It was with a deep shame that he welcomed the sight, for he knew there would be relief as well.  
  
Elrond looked down at the body of Elrohir. Unlike his brother, his body had not been defiled by the enemy's weapon, at least not visibly. Instead Elrohir had done what Elrond was forbidden to do: he had followed his brother.  
  
In Elrohir's left hand he held the jewel Elladan had worn around his neck since Celebrian's passing over the sea so many years ago. He knew his son's were at peace now.  
  
Elrond heard Glorfindel's light steps in the hall, he had been shadowing him since that fateful night. He heard him open the door to Elrohir's room as Elrond himself had done hours ago, following the simple lullaby that Elrond had followed nights ago.  
  
As Elrond sang, he wondered if this time he would be the one who was allowed to follow.  
  
Golden slumber kiss your eyes, Smiles await you when you rise. Sleep, pretty baby, Do not cry, And I'll sing you a lullaby.  
  
Care you know not, Therefore sleep, While I o'er you watch do keep. Sleep, pretty darling, Do not cry, And I will sing a lullaby. 


End file.
